


Prism

by Laika_the_wife, Tuii



Series: Reflections [9]
Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst, Bruises, Communication, Dark, Eskild is the Mom Friend, Even Is Not The Pope, M/M, Other, Tom Is A Dick, Webcams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 19:23:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13324839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laika_the_wife/pseuds/Laika_the_wife, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tuii/pseuds/Tuii
Summary: Isak groaned. But he didn’t protest. He knew that he could not be responsible of himself at the moment, it simply wasn’t safe. He had been alone for less than 48 hours and he ended up almost needing stitches. Eskild had done a great job with Even years ago, Isak hoped he hadn’t lost his touch.AKA.The One Where They Finally Talk





	Prism

**Author's Note:**

> Written by Tuii's wife Laika. And you have skamsnake to blame for Tom, so there.

Eskild zipped the bag closed.

“Are you ready?”

Isak nodded.

“As long as I don’t need to leave your room if I don’t feel like it.”

Isak didn’t want to see anybody. He wanted to be alone. But the stinging, prickly pain in his ankle worked as a good reminder of why it wasn’t wise. He had scared the shit out of himself when he had seen all the blood just gushing out. He had panicked and called Eskild and now his bags were packed so he could move into the Kollektivet indefinitely.

“No promises”, Eskild said and flung the bag on his shoulder. “You’ve been cooped up here for weeks, it’s obviously not good for you. Tom might’ve let you get away with not leaving the house even weekly, but I won’t.”

Isak groaned. But he didn’t protest. He knew that he could not be responsible of himself at the moment, it simply wasn’t safe. He had been alone for less than 48 hours and he ended up almost needing stitches. Eskild had done a great job with Even years ago, Isak hoped he hadn’t lost his touch.

“Is this everything? I can come back if you forgot something, but I’d rather not.”

Isak let his eyes wander around the apartment. He didn’t have much stuff to begin with, mostly clothes. Everything else here was Tom’s, except. Isak blushed fiercely.

“My box.”

“Your box?” Eskild tilted his head.

“I have this secret box where I keep my..things. Well, I suppose they’re technically Tom’s things since I used his credit card to order them but..”

“Oh for fuck’s sake Isak”, Eskild sighed. “Just go get them so we can leave.”

“But..can I just take them?”

“I’m pretty sure that Tom doesn’t want to keep your used toys.”

“You sure? It’s not like he hasn’t put his tongue in --”

“NOT LISTENING. Just get the box already!”

Isak retrieved the box and packed it carefully in an opaque plastic bag. Eskild grabbed it bravely.

“I don’t think these are safe in your hands for now, sorry.”

“I don’t need a fucking babysitter”, Isak growled.

“Oh, but you do. Off we go, then.”

Eskild opened the door and dragged the bags and Isak out to the street. The sun was shining. The streets were full of people, going to places and seeing their friends, and for the first time in a long time Isak kind of noticed that he had been blocked away from the world and it had gone on without him. It felt scary. Lonely.

Eskild gave him a nudge with his shoulder.

“Come along now. It’s a nice day, we can walk there.”

“Fine. But I won’t be happy about it.”

They had walked a couple of blocks when Isak’s phone beeped. He dug it out and looked at the notification. He stopped.

“What the..”

Eskild looked at him over his shoulder and stopped as well.

“What is it?”

Isak opened the message and read it. Then he read it again. And again.

“Isak don’t make me invade your privacy. Tell me!”

“It’s from Tom”, Isak managed to say. “He says ‘My treat, enjoy’ and I don’t..”

Isak’s phone beeped again. It was a passcode and a timeframe.

The sun was shining. People walked and ran and laughed and were happy. Isak stood on the sidewalk with his phone on his ear, calling Tom again and again.

 

Isak sat in front of Eskild’s battered old laptop and stared at the counter.

“Are you sure about this? I mean, I could --”

“No. Eskild, I  _ must _ see him.”

“I’m not going anywhere so no kinky sex stuff, okay?”

“Not fucking funny.”

“I know.” Eskild sighed and placed his hand on Isak’s. Gave it a comforting squeeze. “I’m sorry. For my shitty joke and for this..whatever this is. Believe me, if it’s Even, I’m going to kill Tom.”

Before Isak could answer the camera went on. It was Even, of course it was, who else could it have been? He looked terrible. Bruised, everywhere, his skin was more black and blue than its normal pale creaminess. The bruises were about a day old and looked like they were made with a stick or something. Even smiled, like always, his smile was as flawless as ever.

“Hey honey, what do you want to do today?”

Isak couldn’t stop staring. His hands shook against the keyboard, they made this rattling sound, or maybe it was his breathing.

“Sugar? Can you see me?” Even leaned closer. Isak could tell that it hurt him to move, that he was in pain.

‘Yes. Who did that to you?’

Even’s smile faded. It was still there, the rehearsed arch of his lips, but there was none of it left in his expression otherwise.

“Tell me my name.”

Isak felt sick to his stomach. If Eskild hadn’t been there, holding his shoulder, his other hand in a white knuckled fist, Isak couldn’t have done this. But he was anchored. He wasn’t alone. Eskild wouldn’t let him do anything to himself, he wouldn’t have to cut too deep. Isak clicked on the camera icon and saw his face appear in the upper corner of the screen. He looked white as a ghost.

“Your name is Even Bech Næsheim and I’m so fucking sorry.”

“Hang up.”

“No.”

“Fucking hang up! I can’t, so you have to.”

Isak noticed that Eskild had backed away so he wouldn’t show on the camera. He hovered by the door, keeping an eye on him, but his aura didn’t seem pleased of his duty.

“Did Tom do this to you?”

“Who the fuck is Tom?”

“The guy who told you it’s me. Did he do this to you?”

Even didn’t say anything. That meant that he didn’t say no. Isak felt tears burn his eyes.

“Fuck. Even I’m so sorry. Even..” Just saying his name felt both wonderful and horrible. Even looked at him, his image, in deep thought, then he nodded barely visibly. He had made up his mind.

“We started small. With this.” Even pulled out a cane. He ran its tip along his bruised thigh. “It just stings. It doesn’t really hurt.”

“Even, please.”

Even didn’t listen to Isak’s pleas. When the cane smacked against the already tortured flesh Isak flinched.

“It’s nothing, really.” Even hit himself again, expressionless, then he put the cane away. “But this one. This one fucking hurts.”

Isak stared at the nightstick on Even’s hand. No. No no no fucking no.

“Even stop.”

Isak jumped and whimpered when Even whacked the bed. It made a loud thud.

“I hit. He said again. I hit. Again. He seemed to be really enjoying himself. He likes caning but I’ve never seen him that hard before.”

Isak was crying now. And he was ashamed of it. His pain was nothing compared to Even’s and Even’s pain was his fault. As Even raised the stick Isak covered his mouth with his hands, shaking his head.

“That’s enough.” Hearing Eskild speak nearly gave Isak a heart attack. He appeared on the screen next to Isak. “Even, just stop. We’re not disconnecting. If you want to beat the shit out of yourself, go ahead. But we’re here, and we’re. Not. Leaving.”

Even looked lost for a moment. He looked like himself, his old self. Isak’s heart fluttered.

“Even please. I just want to talk with you.”

Even chuckled grimly.

“That’d be a change of pace. Has Eskild heard about our little games?”

“Yes, he has”, Eskild stated. He was mad. And..bored? Something like that. “And he happens to know why, because he fucking  _ listened _ to Isak. I get it, you’re pissed, and so was I, but you two have so much more in common than you know. And now is the time we mediate. At least so you two can decide who you should be angry at and for what actual reasons.”

Eskild pulled back again. Isak looked at Even because he couldn’t look at himself.

“I’m angry at myself. For a fucking reason.”

“Of course for a reason! You fucking  _ used _ me!” Even raised his voice. At least he had stopped looking like a whore and started to look like himself.

“I’m sorry”, Isak whispered.

“For weeks! Or was it longer? How long have you been letting me make a fool out of myself?”

“June. Since June.”

“You know what name I had for you in my head?” Even laughed, silently and without joy, shaking his head. Isak swallowed.

“What?”

“You were the only fucking one who didn’t want to hurt me. So I called you Ed.”

Isak laughed as well. Not at Even, but at this fucking absurdity.

“When I asked your name and you said whatever I want, I  _ wanted _ to say Vivian. But you would’ve known.”

“In a heartbeat.” Even looked at Isak, then sighed. “Do you know how much it fucking hurts to think about the things I asked you to do to yourself?”

“About as much as it hurts to think about what you do for a living?”

“Oh, so you want to keep score?” Was that a twinkle in Even’s eye? Short lived and dim, but maybe..it was there?

“No. Please, fuck, no. I want to meet you. Not alone. I miss you so much it hurts and if we..it wouldn’t be good for either of us, would it?”

“I’ll come.” Eskild’s voice made Isak jump again. “I promise I won’t say anything. I can wait in the bathroom or something and when you two start making sex sounds I’ll come to the rescue.”

Even rolled his eyes.

“What does he mean  _ when _ ?”

Isak couldn’t stop himself from smiling, just a little.

“I seriously have no idea.”

The connection was still there. The good, the love, Isak could feel it. At least from his side.

“I can come over tomorrow night. If that’s not Eskild’s room then I’m the fucking Pope. It looks like a truck of neon paint crashed into the glitter delivery van.”

“Hey!”

Isak chuckled. This felt ridiculously good. He knew it wouldn’t last, so he enjoyed it now he could.

“Okay. Tomorrow night. I’ll be here. At the Kollektivet.” He had to verify, just in case.

Even nodded.

“I’m off duty at around ten.”

Even looked at the counter on his screen. Then he leaned back on the bed. Not inviting, but relaxed.

“So, have you seen any good movies lately?”


End file.
